Beverages are often packaged for sale in bottles. Glass bottles are often used, especially for alcoholic beverages. Glass bottles have a number of advantages over plastic bottles, including the fact that they are less permeable to gases, usually carbon dioxide in carbonated beverages, thus providing a better storage medium for beverages. Ergonomically they may be preferable to consumers of beverages, especially consumers of beer and the like in social settings such as public houses, bars, night clubs, etc. They provide a pleasing oral tactile feeling to the consumer, much more than a plastic bottle does.
The main drawback of glass bottles in such social settings is the possibility of their use as a weapon. A glass bottle can make a formidable weapon, both as a club-like implement and if smashed can lead to a hazardous shard forming that can be used to cut or maim. The possibility may be increased with consumers of alcoholic beverages who may do so to excess, leading to possible violent confrontations.
Even if not used as weaponry, the mere accidental dropping of a bottle can lead to hazardous broken glass being strewn over a floor, potentially causing injury to persons in the vicinity.
Use of plastic bottles overcomes these disadvantages, but does not provide the same tactile pleasure for the drinker.